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AppleScript 1.9 Dictionary

Copyright Apple Computer, Inc. 1993-2002. All rights reserved.

Index

  1. AppleScript Suite
  2. Required Suite
  3. Standard Suite
  4. Text Suite
  5. QuickDraw Graphics Suite
  6. QuickDraw Graphics Supplemental Suite
  7. Table Suite
  8. Macintosh Connectivity Classes

AppleScript Suite: Standard terms for AppleScript

Events:

activate: Bring the targeted application program to the front

activate

log: Cause a comment to be logged

log string

stop log: Stop event logging in the script editor

stop log

start log: Start event logging in the script editor

start log

idle: Sent to a script application when it is idle

idle

Result: integer -- the number of seconds to wait for next idle event

launch: Start an application for scripting

launch

tell: Record or log a ‘tell’ statement

tell

end tell: Record or log an ‘end tell’ statement

end tell

error: Raise an error

error [anything]

[number small integer] -- an error number

[partial result list] -- any partial result occurring before the error

[from anything] -- the object that caused the error

[to anything] -- the desired class for a failed coercion

Call•subroutine: A labelled parameter subroutine call

Call•subroutine [anything]

[at anything] -- a preposition

[from anything] -- a preposition

[for anything] -- a preposition

[to anything] -- a preposition

[thru anything] -- a preposition

[through anything] -- a preposition

[by anything] -- a preposition

[on anything] -- a preposition

[into anything] -- a preposition

[onto anything] -- a preposition

[between anything] -- a preposition

[against anything] -- a preposition

[out of anything] -- a preposition

[instead of anything] -- a preposition

[aside from anything] -- a preposition

[around anything] -- a preposition

[beside anything] -- a preposition

[beneath anything] -- a preposition

[under anything] -- a preposition

[over anything] -- a preposition

[above anything] -- a preposition

[below anything] -- a preposition

[apart from anything] -- a preposition

[about anything] -- a preposition

[since anything] -- a preposition

[given anything] -- parameter:value pairs, comma-separated

[with type class] -- formal parameter set to true if matching actual parameter is provided

[without type class] -- formal parameter set to false if matching actual parmeter is provided

Result: anything

Operators:

= : Equality

= reference

Result: anything

≠ : Inequality

≠ reference

Result: anything

+ : Addition

+ reference

Result: anything

- : Subtraction

- reference

Result: anything

* : Multiplication

* reference

Result: anything

÷ : Division

÷ reference

Result: anything

div: Quotient

div reference

Result: anything

mod: Remainder

mod reference

Result: anything

^ : Exponentiation

^ reference

Result: anything

> : Greater than

> reference

Result: anything

≥ : Greater than or equal to

≥ reference

Result: anything

< : Less than

< reference

Result: anything

≤ : Less than or equal to

≤ reference

Result: anything

& : Concatenation

& reference

Result: anything

starts with: Starts with

starts with reference

Result: anything

ends with: Ends with

ends with reference

Result: anything

contains: Containment

contains reference

Result: anything

and: Logical conjunction

and reference

Result: anything

or: Logical disjunction

or reference

Result: anything

as: Coercion

as reference

Result: anything

not: Logical negation

not reference

Result: anything

negate: Numeric negation

negate reference

Result: anything

Value Class Identifiers:

Class boolean: A true or false value

Plural form:

booleans

Class integer: An integral number

Plural form:

integers

Class real: A real number

Plural form:

reals

Class number: an integer or real number

Plural form:

numbers

Class list: An ordered collection of items

Plural form:

lists

Properties:

length integer [r/o] -- the length of a list

reverse list [r/o] -- the items of the list in reverse order

rest list [r/o] -- all items of the list excluding first

Class linked list: An ordered collection of items

Plural form:

linked lists

Properties:

length integer [r/o] -- the length of a list

Class vector: An ordered collection of items

Plural form:

vectors

Properties:

length integer [r/o] -- the length of a list

Class record: A set of labeled items

Plural form:

records

Class item: An item of any type

Plural form:

items

Properties:

id integer -- the unique ID number of this object

Class script: An AppleScript script

Plural form:

scripts

Properties:

name string [r/o] -- the name of the script

parent script [r/o] -- its parent, i.e. the script that will handle events that this script doesn’t

Class list or record: a list or record

Class list or string: a list or string

Class number or string: a number or string

Class alias or string: an alias or string

Class list, record or text: a list, record or text

Class number or date: a number or date

Class number, date or text: a number, date or text

Class class: (inherits from type class) the type of a value

Plural form:

classes

Class event: an AppleEvents event

Plural form:

events

Class property: an AppleEvents property

Plural form:

properties

Class constant: A constant value

Plural form:

constants

Class preposition: an AppleEvents preposition

Plural form:

prepositions

Class reference form: an AppleEvents key form

Plural form:

reference forms

Class handler: an AppleScript event or subroutine handler

Plural form:

handlers

Class data: an AppleScript raw data object

Class text: text with language and style information

Class international text: text that begins with a writing code

Plural form:

international text

Class string: text in 8-bit Macintosh Roman format

Plural form:

strings

Class styled text: text with font, size, and style information

Plural form:

styled text

Class styled Clipboard text: clipboard text with font, size, and style information

Plural form:

styled Clipboard text

Class Unicode text: text in the Unicode format (cannot be viewed without conversion)

Plural form:

Unicode text

Class styled Unicode text: styled text in the Unicode format

Plural form:

styled Unicode text

Class encoded string: text encoded using the Text Encoding Converter

Plural form:

encoded strings

Class C string: text followed by a null

Plural form:

C strings

Class Pascal string: text up to 255 characters preceded by a length byte

Plural form:

Pascal strings

Class character: an individual text character

Plural form:

characters

Class text item: text between delimiters

Plural form:

text items

Class writing code: codes that identify the language and script system

Class writing code info: script code and language code of text run

Plural form:

writing code infos

Properties:

script code small integer [r/o] -- the script code for the text

language code small integer [r/o] -- the language code for the text

Class : the undefined value

Class missing value: unavailable value, such as properties missing from heterogeneous classes in a Whose clause

Plural form:

missing values

Class reference: an AppleScript reference

Plural form:

references

Class anything: any class or reference

Class type class: the name of a particular class (or any four-character code)

Class RGB color: Three integers specifying red, green, blue color values

Plural form:

RGB colors

Class picture: A QuickDraw picture object

Plural form:

pictures

Class sound: a sound object on the clipboard

Plural form:

sounds

Class version: a version value

Class file specification: a file specification as used by the operating system

Plural form:

file specifications

Properties:

POSIX path string [r/o] -- the POSIX path of the file

Class alias: a file on a disk or server. The file must exist when you check the syntax of your script.

Plural form:

aliases

Properties:

POSIX path string [r/o] -- the POSIX path of the file

Class machine: a computer

Plural form:

machines

Class zone: an AppleTalk zone

Plural form:

zones

Class keystroke: a press of a key combination on a Macintosh keyboard

Plural form:

keystrokes

Properties:

key character -- the character for the key was pressed (ignoring modifiers)

modifiers a list of option down/command down/control down/shift down/caps lock down -- the modifier keys pressed in combination

key kind escape key/delete key/tab key/return key/clear key/enter key/up arrow key/down arrow key/left arrow key/right arrow key/help key/home key/page up key/page down key/forward del key/end key/F1 key/F2 key/F3 key/F4 key/F5 key/F6 key/F7 key/F8 key/F9 key/F10 key/F11 key/F12 key/F13 key/F14 key/F15 key -- the kind of key that was pressed

Date and Time Constants:

Class seconds: more than one second

Class date: Absolute date and time values

Plural form:

dates

Properties:

weekday weekday [r/o] -- the day of a week of a date

month month [r/o] -- the month of a date

day integer [r/o] -- the day of the month of a date

year integer [r/o] -- the year of a date

time integer [r/o] -- the time since midnight of a date

date string string [r/o] -- the date portion of a date-time value as text

time string string [r/o] -- the time portion of a date-time value as text

Class month: a month

Plural form:

months

Class January: the month of January

Class February: the month of February

Class March: the month of March

Class April: the month of April

Class May: the month of May

Class June: the month of June

Class July: the month of July

Class August: the month of August

Class September: the month of September

Class October: the month of October

Class November: the month of November

Class December: the month of December

Class weekday: a weekday

Plural form:

weekdays

Class Sunday: Sunday

Class Monday: Monday

Class Tuesday: Tuesday

Class Wednesday: Wednesday

Class Thursday: Thursday

Class Friday: Friday

Class Saturday: Saturday

Unit Type Value Classes:

Class metres: a distance measurement in SI meters

Class meters: a distance measurement in SI meters

Class inches: a distance measurement in Imperial inches

Class feet: a distance measurement in Imperial feet

Class yards: a distance measurement in Imperial yards

Class miles: a distance measurement in Imperial miles

Class kilometres: a distance measurement in SI kilometers

Class kilometers: a distance measurement in SI kilometers

Class centimetres: a distance measurement in SI centimeters

Class centimeters: a distance measurement in SI centimeters

Class square metres: an area measurement in SI square meters

Class square meters: an area measurement in SI square meters

Class square feet: an area measurement in Imperial square feet

Class square yards: an area measurement in Imperial square yards

Class square miles: an area measurement in Imperial square miles

Class square kilometres: an area measurement in SI square kilometers

Class square kilometers: an area measurement in SI square kilometers

Class litres: a volume measurement in SI liters

Class liters: a volume measurement in SI liters

Class gallons: a volume measurement in Imperial gallons

Class quarts: a volume measurement in Imperial quarts

Class cubic metres: a volume measurement in SI cubic meters

Class cubic meters: a volume measurement in SI cubic meters

Class cubic centimetres: a volume measurement in SI cubic centimeters

Class cubic centimeters: a volume measurement in SI cubic centimeters

Class cubic feet: a volume measurement in Imperial cubic feet

Class cubic inches: a volume measurement in Imperial cubic inches

Class cubic yards: a distance measurement in Imperial cubic yards

Class kilograms: a mass measurement in SI kilograms

Class grams: a mass measurement in SI meters

Class ounces: a weight measurement in SI meters

Class pounds: a weight measurement in SI meters

Class degrees Celsius: a temperature measurement in SI degrees Celsius

Class degrees Fahrenheit: a temperature measurement in degrees Fahrenheit

Class degrees Kelvin: a temperature measurement in degrees Kelvin

Class upper case: Text with lower case converted to upper case

Class app: Short name for application

Plural form:

applications

Class app: specifies global properties of AppleScript

Plural form:

applications

Properties:

result anything [r/o] -- the last result of evaluation

space character [r/o] -- a space character

return character [r/o] -- a return character

tab character [r/o] -- a tab character

minutes integer [r/o] -- the number of seconds in a minute

hours integer [r/o] -- the number of seconds in an hour

days integer [r/o] -- the number of seconds in a day

weeks integer [r/o] -- the number of seconds in a week

pi real [r/o] -- the constant pi

print length integer [r/o] -- the maximum length to print

print depth integer [r/o] -- the maximum depth to print

text item delimiters list [r/o] -- the text item delimiters of a string

AppleScript script [r/o] -- the top-level script object

Required Suite: Every application supports open, print, run, and quit

Standard Suite: Common terms for most applications

Events:

open: Open the specified object(s)

open reference -- list of objects to open

run: Run an application. Most applications will open an empty, untitled window.

run -- no direct parameter required

reopen: Reactivate a running application. Some applications will open a new untitled window if no window is open.

reopen -- no direct parameter required

print: Print the specified object(s)

print reference -- list of objects to print

quit: Quit an application

quit

[saving yes/no/ask] -- specifies whether to save currently open documents

close: Close an object

close reference -- the object to close

[saving yes/no/ask] -- specifies whether changes should be saved before closing

[saving in file] -- the file or alias in which to save the object

count: Return the number of elements of an object

count reference -- the object whose elements are to be counted

[each type class] -- if specified, restricts counting to objects of this class

Result: integer -- the number of elements

delete: Delete an object from its container. Note this does not work on script variables, only on elements of application classes.

delete reference -- the element to delete

duplicate: Duplicate one or more objects

duplicate reference -- the object(s) to duplicate

[to location reference] -- the new location for the object(s)

[with properties record] -- the initial values for properties of the new object that are to be different from the original

Result: reference -- to the duplicated object(s)

exists: Verify if an object exists

exists reference -- the object in question

Result: boolean -- true if it exists, false if not

make: Make a new element

make

new type class -- the class of the new element

[at location reference] -- the location at which to insert the element

[with data anything] -- the initial data for the element

[with properties record] -- the initial values for the properties of the element

Result: reference -- to the new object(s)

move: Move object(s) to a new location

move reference -- the object(s) to move

to location reference -- the new location for the object(s)

Result: reference -- to the object(s) after they have been moved

save: Save an object

save reference -- the object to save, usually a document or window

[in file] -- the file or alias in which to save the object

[as type class] -- the file type of the document in which to save the data

select: Make a selection

select reference -- the object to select

data size: (optional) Return the size in bytes of an object

data size reference -- the object whose data size is to be returned

[as type class] -- the data type for which the size is calculated

Result: integer -- the size of the object in bytes

suite info: (optional) Get information about event suite(s)

suite info type class -- the suite for which to return information

[in «class intl»] -- the human language and script system in which to return information

Result: a list of type suite info -- a record containing the suites and their versions

event info: (optional) Get information about the Apple events in a suite

event info type class -- the event class of the Apple events for which to return information

[in «class intl»] -- the human language and script system in which to return information

Result: a list of type event info -- a record containing the events and their parameters

Classes:

class info: (optional) Get information about an object class

class info [type class] -- the object class about which information is requested

[in «class intl»] -- the human language and script system in which to return information

Result: type class info -- a record containing the object’s properties and elements

Class app: An application program

Plural form:

applications

Properties:

name international text [r/o] -- the name of the application

frontmost boolean [r/o] -- Is this the frontmost application?

selection selection-object -- the selection visible to the user. Use the ‘select’ command to set a new selection; use ‘contents of selection’ to get or change information in the document.

clipboard a list of anything -- the contents of the clipboard for this application

version version [r/o] -- the version of the application

Class document: A document of a scriptable application

Plural form:

documents

Properties:

modified boolean [r/o] -- Has the document been modified since the last save?

Class file: a file on a disk or server

Plural form:

files

Properties:

POSIX path string [r/o] -- the POSIX path of the file

Class alias: a file on a disk or server. The file must exist when you check the syntax of your script.

Plural form:

aliases

Properties:

POSIX path string [r/o] -- the POSIX path of the file

Class selection-object: A way to refer to the state of the current of the selection. Use the ‘select’ command to make a new selection.

Properties:

contents anything -- the information currently selected. Use ‘contents of selection’ to get or change information in a document.

Class window: A window

Plural form:

windows

Properties:

bounds bounding rectangle -- the boundary rectangle for the window

closeable boolean [r/o] -- Does the window have a close box?

titled boolean [r/o] -- Does the window have a title bar?

index integer -- the number of the window

floating boolean [r/o] -- Does the window float?

modal boolean [r/o] -- Is the window modal?

resizable boolean [r/o] -- Is the window resizable?

zoomable boolean [r/o] -- Is the window zoomable?

zoomed boolean -- Is the window zoomed?

visible boolean -- Is the window visible?

Class insertion point: An insertion location between two objects

Plural form:

insertion points

Text Suite: A set of basic classes for text processing

Classes:

Class character: (inherits from text) A character

Plural form:

characters

Class line: (inherits from text) A line of text

Plural form:

lines

Properties:

justification left/right/center/full -- the justification of the text

Class paragraph: (inherits from text) A paragraph

Plural form:

paragraphs

Class text: Text

Properties:

type class [r/o]

color RGB color -- the color of the first character

font text -- the name of the font of the first character

size fixed -- the size in points of the first character

writing code «class intl» [r/o] -- the script system and language

style text style info -- the text style of the first character of the first character

uniform styles text style info -- the text styles that are uniform throughout the text

quoted form text [r/o] -- the text in quoted form

Elements:

character by numeric index

line by numeric index

paragraph by numeric index

text by numeric index

word by numeric index

Class text flow: (inherits from text) A contiguous block of text. Page layout applications call this a ‘story.’

Plural form:

text flows

Properties:

name international text -- the name

Class text style info: On and Off styles of text run

Plural form:

text style infos

Properties:

on styles a list of styled Clipboard text [r/o] -- the styles that are on for the text

off styles a list of styled Clipboard text [r/o] -- the styles that are off for the text

Class word: (inherits from text) A word

Plural form:

words

QuickDraw Graphics Suite: A set of basic classes for graphics

Classes:

Class arc: An arc

Plural form:

arcs

Properties:

arc angle fixed -- the angle of the arc in degrees

bounds bounding rectangle -- the smallest rectangle that contains the entire arc

definition rect bounding rectangle -- the rectangle that contains the circle or oval used to define the arc

fill color RGB color -- the fill color

fill pattern pixel map -- the fill pattern

pen color RGB color -- the pen color

pen pattern pixel map -- the pen pattern

pen width small integer -- the pen width

start angle fixed -- the angle that defines the start of the arc, in degrees

transfer mode copy pixels/not copy pixels/or pixels/not or pixels/bic pixels/not bic pixels/xor pixels/not xor pixels/add over pixels/add pin pixels/sub over pixels/sub pin pixels/ad max pixels/ad min pixels/blend pixels -- the transfer mode

Class drawing area: Container for graphics and supporting information

Plural form:

drawing areas

Properties:

background color RGB color -- the color used to fill in unoccupied areas

background pattern pixel map -- the pattern used to fill in unoccupied areas

color table color table -- the color table

ordering a list of reference -- the ordered list of graphic objects in the drawing area

name international text -- the name

default location point -- the default location of each new graphic object

pixel depth small integer -- the number of bits per pixel

writing code «class intl» [r/o] -- the script system and language of text objects in the drawing area

text color RGB color -- the default color for text objects

default font international text -- the name of the default font for text objects

default size fixed -- the default size for text objects

style text style info -- the default text style for text objects

update on change boolean -- Redraw after each change?

Class graphic line: A graphic line

Plural form:

graphic lines

Properties:

start point point -- the starting point of the line

end point point -- the ending point of the line

dash style a list of dash style -- the dash style

arrow style no arrow/arrow at start/arrow at end/arrow at both ends -- the arrow style

Class graphic object: A graphic object

Plural form:

graphic objects

Class graphic shape: A graphic shape

Plural form:

graphic shapes

Class graphic text: A series of characters within a drawing area

Properties:

color RGB color -- the color of the first character

font text -- the name of the font of the first character

size fixed -- the size in points of the first character

uniform styles text style info -- the text styles that are uniform throughout the text

Class graphic group: Group of graphics

Plural form:

graphic groups

Class oval: An oval

Plural form:

ovals

Class pixel: A pixel

Plural form:

pixels

Properties:

color RGB color -- the color

Class pixel map: A pixel map

Plural form:

pixel maps

Class polygon: A polygon

Plural form:

polygons

Properties:

point list a list of point -- the list of points that define the polygon

Class rectangle: A rectangle

Plural form:

rectangles

Class rounded rectangle: A rounded rectangle

Plural form:

rounded rectangles

Properties:

corner curve height small integer -- the height of the oval used to define the shape of the rounded corners

corner curve width small integer -- the width of the oval used to define the shape of the rounded corners

QuickDraw Graphics Supplemental Suite: Defines transformations of graphic objects

Classes:

Class drawing area: Container for graphics and supporting information

Plural form:

drawing areas

Properties:

rotation rotation -- the default rotation for objects in the drawing area

scale fixed -- the default scaling for objects in the drawing area

translation point -- the default repositioning for objects in the drawing area

Class graphic group: Group of graphics

Plural form:

graphic groups

Table Suite: Classes for manipulating tables

Classes:

Class cell: A cell

Plural form:

cells

Properties:

formula text -- the formula of the cell

protection read only/formulas protected/read/write -- Indicates whether value or formula in the cell can be changed

Class column: A column

Plural form:

columns

Properties:

name international text -- the name of the column

Class row: A row

Plural form:

rows

Class table: A table

Plural form:

tables

Macintosh Connectivity Classes: Classes relating to Apple Macintosh personal computer connectivity

Classes:

Class device specification: A device connected to a computer

Plural form:

device specifications

Properties:

properties record -- property that allows getting and setting of multiple properties

device type hard disk drive/floppy disk drive/CD ROM drive/DVD drive/storage device/keyboard/mouse/trackball/trackpad/pointing device/video monitor/LCD display/display/modem/PC card/PCI card/NuBus card/printer/speakers/microphone [r/o] -- the kind of device

device address address specification [r/o] -- the address of the device

Class address specification: Unique designation of a device or service connected to this computer

Plural form:

address specifications

Properties:

properties record -- property that allows getting and setting of multiple properties

conduit ADB/printer port/modem port/modem printer port/LocalTalk/Ethernet/Token Ring/SCSI/USB/FireWire/infrared/PC card/PCI bus/NuBus/PDS slot/Comm slot/monitor out/video out/video in/audio out/audio line in/audio line out/microphone -- How the addressee is physically connected

protocol serial/AppleTalk/IP/SCSI/ADB/FireWire/IrDA/IRTalk/USB/PC card/PCI bus/NuBus/bus/Macintosh video/SVGA/S video/analog audio/digital audio/PostScript -- How to talk to this addressee

Class ADB address: (inherits from address specification) Addresses a device connected via Apple Desktop Bus

Plural form:

ADB addresses

Properties:

ID small integer -- the Apple Desktop Bus device ID

Class AppleTalk address: (inherits from address specification) Addresses a device or service connected via the AppleTalk protocol

Plural form:

AppleTalk addresses

Properties:

AppleTalk machine string -- the machine name part of the address

AppleTalk zone string -- the zone part of the address

AppleTalk type string -- the type part of the AppleTalk address

Class bus slot: (inherits from address specification) Addresses a PC, PCI, or NuBus card

Plural form:

bus slots

Properties:

ID small integer -- the slot number

Class Ethernet address: (inherits from address specification) Addresses a device by its Ethernet address

Plural form:

Ethernet addresses

Properties:

ID integer -- the Ethernet address

Class FireWire address: (inherits from address specification) Addresses a device on the FireWire bus

Plural form:

FireWire addresses

Properties:

ID small integer -- the FireWire device ID

Class IP address: (inherits from address specification) Addresses a device or service via the Internet Protocol (IP)

Plural form:

IP addresses

Properties:

ID string -- the address in the form "127.201.0.1"

DNS form string -- the address in the form "apple.com"

port string -- the port number of the service or client being addressed

Class LocalTalk address: (inherits from address specification) Addresses a device by its LocalTalk address

Plural form:

LocalTalk addresses

Properties:

network small integer -- the LocalTalk network number

node small integer -- the LocalTalk node number

socket small integer -- the LocalTalk socket number

Class SCSI address: (inherits from address specification) Addresses a SCSI device

Plural form:

SCSI addresses

Properties:

SCSI bus small integer -- the SCSI bus number

ID small integer -- the SCSI ID

LUN small integer -- the SCSI logical unit number

Class Token Ring address: (inherits from address specification) Addresses a device or service via the Token Ring protocol

Plural form:

Token Ring addresses

Properties:

ID small integer -- the Token Ring ID

Class USB address: (inherits from address specification) Addresses a device on the Universal Serial Bus

Plural form:

USB Addresses

Properties:

name string -- the USB device name

 

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